The Emerald Dawn have become without any doubt the darlings of the Prog festival circuit (yes, there is such a thing!). If you haven’t yet explored their music I would highly recommend that you do. Combining many trace elements of the many musical genres usually associated with the myriad of Progressive rock artists currently pedalling their wares, The Emerald Dawn have over the years calved their own niche rather than follow the recognised pattern of so many bands.
The Emerald Dawn are at their best in front of a live audience and as I write this review they are about to embark on another tour. The band’s music is very atmospheric and veers away from the conventional blueprint of lyrical verse, instrumental bridges and their like.
Comprising of Tree Stewart keyboards/flute/vocals acoustic guitar, Ally Carter Guitars/Saxophones, David Greenaway bass and Tom Jackson drums.
Their latest album and their seventh to date is called The Land, The Sea, The Air volume 2, with volume 1 having been released last year (2025). I will say from the outset that I believe this to be the band’s strongest work to date and definitely sees them hitting their stride.
As with the majority of The Emerald Dawn albums there is the inclusion of a twenty plus minute opus in the form of Song Of The Rain Forest and as you would expect, begins with bird call and rain forest soundscape. The steely synth/organ pad is gently broken by chunky bass line and lilting chorale chords via Tree Stewart’s haunting keyboards swiftly followed by Ally Carter’s signature grungy guitar and his equally signature saxophone playing.
Never failing to edge towards the both the drama and tranquillity of such an environment are beautifully laid bare here whether it be the devastation caused by man or the serenity found within its canopy. Tree Stewart’s keyboards are the best I have ever heard them throughout all of the band’s canon so far.
Using her usual sounds Tree seems to have moved them into a darker and more experimental place throughout this piece breaking the mood with gentle flute inflections. The final say goes to Ally’s driven guitar work however tastefully backed by Tree’s keyboard strings.
The rippling, crisp piano intro to Rivers Of Tears befits the impression of flowing rivers (remember them?) or gentle waves kissing a shoreline. However, the wayward guitar break shatters the absolute tranquillity allowing the firm bass playing and synth string and brass sound to open the piece into a much larger scale.
Singer/keyboard player Tree Stewart’s voice achieves the most clarity it ever has throughout all of the band’s albums so far with saxophone giving a gripping edge to the whole piece.
Though it is Tree Stewart’s keyboards, especially piano that allow this piece to flow so beautifully, a strong presence of the rhythm section here especially Tom Jackson’s percussion make such a dramatic conclusion very much a band effort.
The trio of well crafted musical landscapes that make up The Sea The Land And The Air volume 2 concludes with the rather wonderful Paradise. Though a little less epic, Paradise has fast become my favourite The Emerald Dawn piece. Both the plucked violin/cello sound and Tree Stewart’s soothing voice put the overall sound in the Clannad / Enya Celtic atmospheric area. Both the melding of the organ sound and pleading lyrics here are very thought provoking and a potent combination and along with Ally Carter’s sharply etched guitar and flowing keyboards drive the song to a powerful crescendo.
It could be said that much of The Emerald Dawn’s music is formulaic and that the band rarely waver from it? No bad thing by the way! This may be showing the first signs of changing with this album and its predecessor. Apart from the apocalyptic messages, it is without doubt the most coherent album they have recorded to date. Beautifully packaged with artwork by Tree Stewart, haunting melodies and excellent engineering I would recommend this album to anyone who enjoys music by Gong, Ozric Tentacles, Hawkwind and their likes. The Emerald Dawn have up till now recorded beautiful partisan atmospheric music enjoyed by too fewer people than they deserve. The Land The Sea The Air volume 2 will hopefully open them up to a wider audience? Yes, it really is that good.
You can buy The Land The Sea The Air volume 2
https://www.theemeralddawn.net/merch
https://theemeralddawn.bandcamp.com/album/the-land-the-sea-the-air-volume-ii
CD £15 + Postage
I am reliably informed that a very high quality vinyl version of the album will be release later in the year (2026)
